Blue Belly the Lizard

Taken from a journal entry - July 1985
The occasion: Chris and Loyd were spending a week with us.

. . .Loyd is a "fiesty" little boy but has a very tender heart. Grandpa had taken everyone out to the Birds of Prey area and they had caught a lizard who became known as "Blue Belly" because of his coloring. The little boys (and big boys) caught grasshoppers and beetles to feed him but he died. Loyd wanted an appropriate burial and Doug took care of it and he was buried out in back but Loyd wanted something written to mark the place. Doug provided a piece of heavy cardboard and proceeded to write an epithet. He suggested something about Blue Belly the Lizard who didn’t have a gizzard. Loyd, very seriously involved, said, "Don’t say anything funny, Doug.. This became the finished tribute:
Bluebelly Is Dead
He was a good old lizard.
He helped Grandpa control the grasshopper population
And ate heartily Doug’s drone.
He was a good pet cause he didn’t make any noise.
What was best, you didn’t need to buy him food.
He didn’t make any trouble.
Caught June 8, 1985, Birds of Prey Area.